


the fleet! order them to stop firing, there's still time to save the fleet

by neotericbitch



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Kylo Ren Redemption, Star Wars: The Last Jedi Throne Room Scene, anyway behold these space fools, non-evil Empress Rey, with mentions of others who do not physically appear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2020-08-18 22:08:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20198947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neotericbitch/pseuds/neotericbitch
Summary: Brand new Supreme Leader Kylo Ren offers Rey from Nowhere the galaxy, and she accepts. Her goals aren't particularly ambitious, but they're noble at least.





	the fleet! order them to stop firing, there's still time to save the fleet

**Author's Note:**

> short while ago i made a comic.  
https://electropath.tumblr.com/image/185500868028  
then i decided, i will write a fic for the comic.
> 
> the first section is all i gave thought to, the other two are extra. i don't feel shame in admitting that.

Slowly, Rey raised her hand from her side, making to meet Kylo’s in the middle. It was only for a second she was really considering taking it; in the next she thought, if she was fast enough, she could yank the Skywalker lightsaber away from him and escape. And she would _ have _ to be fast, and it would _ have _ to be an escape, because he wouldn’t just let her leave.

Her fingers flexed out, about to pull - and then she curled them into her palm. Put her hand back down. The hope lighting Kylo’s eyes began to dwindle, but he kept his offer in the air. Rey inhaled and carefully wiped her tears away. She could cry about whatever she wanted later, for now she had to force it all down.

“If I join you,” she said, looking once more at his desperate, begging hand before returning to his face, “will we be equals?”

“Yes,” he said right away.

If her previous question had been a test of the waters, she felt herself wading in now. “If I ask you to do something, will you do it?”

His response was firm. “Anything you want.”

“Do you promise?”

Firmer still, “Yes, I do.”

Rey lingered on his eyes for maybe longer than necessary, then snapped out her hand. She moved so quickly that she almost thought she’d gone for the lightsaber after all, but no. Her hand clasped his like it was a lifeline, a rope dangling in a hollow Star Destroyer, a ledge over a great pit. He closed his fingers around hers as if she were just the same. She felt a flutter, but couldn’t determine if it came from her or him or any of the other million things surrounding them.

“Save the fleet,” said Rey.

Kylo’s brow furrowed. He opened his mouth, closed it - she heard his teeth click together - then tried again. “What.”

“Save the fucking fleet!” she demanded, pointing her free hand behind her. “Make them stop—“

It was at this moment, the details unbeknownst to either of them, that Vice Admiral Holdo piloted the _ Raddus _ through the _ Supremacy _, splitting it right in half. The entire ship shook and they were thrown off their feet and away from one another. He thudded to the floor on his back, the saber skidding away. She fell forward on her knees, slammed both her hands down on the ground to keep herself steady, but the room was still rumbling and she awkwardly went down on one hip.

At first she thought it had been the Force. She had started jokingly thinking of the temperamental weather on Ahch-To as an offer of its opinion, though now it wasn’t such a funny idea; but then she lifted her head and saw the reality of the situation. Something, somehow, had sliced through the ship, frighteningly close to where she was now. Dreadnoughts lay wrecked in the surrounding vacuum from simply having been in the vicinity, all death and debris. And the Resistance transports, what few remained, were speeding out of sight and safe for now, presumably headed for the planet Rey could see nearby. She hadn’t noticed it before.

It was a lot to unpack. Rey stared out for the longest time, returning to her body only when she felt hands on it. Kylo had come up behind her, one hand on her back and the other holding her arm, and he was pulling her up to her feet. Rey turned her head to him. He was a mess of sweat and grime and shock, not that she was judging, she probably didn’t look any better. His hands came away from her but he hovered close as he beheld the destruction. She knew he’d seen the fleeing transports when he glanced her way.

“They’ll be okay,” said Rey, solely for her own benefit because there was no way he needed to hear it. She closed her eyes and breathed in, held it for a couple of seconds. Yes - the Resistance had suffered heavy losses, more than she could fully comprehend, but the spark was alive. And so was Finn, Rey was sure of it.

She’d see him again, just not as soon as she originally hoped.

“They’re...” Kylo started to murmur, but didn’t continue. Rey looked up at him and touched his arm.

“Thank you.” She didn’t have the energy to offer a smile, but her eyes were sincere. Surely he could see that. “We should leave.”

“We can’t leave,” he said. “We have to follow them and finish this.”

She’d been talking about the room, but okay, so that’s where the conversation was going. To think she was starting to feel relieved. “It _ is _ finished. We’re letting them go.”

“_ No _ . No, it’s… The Resistance has to _ die _.”

Frustration flared in Rey, which she felt bouncing back on her. She withdrew her hand and took a step back, fully facing Kylo. “It doesn’t have to be a literal death. It can _ ‘die’ _ once it’s not needed anymore. It was when it was Snoke in charge, but it’s just us now. We can change everything! We can end the fight. Unless you _ want _ the galaxy to be an endless war zone, in which case I can’t stay.”

Kylo inhaled sharply before clenching his jaw, keeping his mouth shut tight like he was just barely holding in a scream. He didn’t look at her, just glared beyond her shoulder out into space. Eventually, he said, “This really isn’t what I thought was going to happen.”

Rey completely understood; lots had changed in a minuscule amount of time. To get to what she’d seen of his future, she’d imagined the in-between part going very differently. Luke had been right to warn her, but she was also right to have tried, and to be here now. Rey still saw the goal as clear as day, and she was going to get there with him. It would be difficult; _ he _ would be difficult. But still.

“Ben,” she said, and he looked at her like he was seeing her for the first time, for about the third time today in that same room. She sensed something strong radiating off him, and she couldn’t quite place what it was, but it bolstered her to continue. “You asked me to join you. You said we’d do this together. You promised—“

“I meant it,” he interrupted. 

Rey stared very intently at him, as serious as she could manage when she could feel tears again pricking her eyes. “You’ll have to prove it.”

And Ben breathed out all at once, like he’d been holding it in for ages. His shoulders drooped a little and he flexed his fingers loose, and this was likely as relaxed as he was physically capable of being. What a complete mess of a man. Rey was aware now, it wasn’t her job to fix him - that was his responsibility. But she would help, just as she’d said. She would stand with him. Their visions, the conclusions they came to because of them, could coexist.

They heard the hum of machinery and turned their heads to see across the room. The turbolift doors opened, and out strode a man unfamiliar to Rey. His steps were clipped, his face strained, painting a clear picture. The ship had been cut in half and he’d hurried to check on his master in the aftermath. His master over there on the floor. Who had also been cut in half.

Ben was making this same observation. He drew himself to his full height. “I’ll handle this,” he said under his breath, and Rey was close to being fine with that - but then the man stopped halfway across the walkway and stared straight at her and she suddenly needed the specifics.

“How?” she whispered.

Ben didn’t say anything. Just kept a glare fixed right on Hux as the general took a tentative step forward, then resumed his approach. He stopped for good at the throne, taking in Snoke’s fallen form and the red leftovers of the Praetorian guard; then once again, Rey.

“I hope you have an explanation for this,” Hux said, voice quaking in repressed rage.

Ben kept himself even. “Snoke is dead.”

“_ I can see that. _ What happened? What did you _ do? _ ” He held his arm slightly aloft, as if he were about to dive his hand into his coat. Rey kept an eye on it, but needn’t have worried. Hux was aware that shooting at a vigilant Kylo Ren would be futile, it was just that having his arm at the ready made him feel a bit stronger and safer. “What is _ she _ doing still alive?”

Rey pressed her lips together in a tight line to stop herself baring her teeth. There’d been enough of that in here already.

“I don’t owe you any kind of explanation.” Ben left her side and began to cross the room. His lightsaber, notably, was off his belt and in his hand. “Snoke is dead and his reign is over. You and the First Order - you answer to me, now.”

Hux didn’t move from where he stood, but he seemed to be shrivelling, folding in on himself. Despite this, he managed to sneer. “You won’t last long when my men find out you murdered the Supreme Leader.” His self-preservation instincts were evidently present, but lacking.

“They‘re not going to,” asserted Ben, throwing out his free hand in a gripping motion. In complete sync to his movement Hux went down on his knees, gasping and gurgling. Ben raised his lightsaber just above Hux’s head and activated it, and he swung upwards—

“Stop that.”

Hux collapsed on his side, scrabbling uselessly at the floor, as Ben’s attention was completely drawn over to Rey. She was circling around the throne, peering over the armrest as the last of Snoke’s body vacated the seat. Her gaze fell upon the Skywalker lightsaber, jammed halfway under the platform, and so she went over and got down to work it free.

She felt that Ben was watching her do all this, and when she looked back, he seemed very awkward, pointing the lightsaber blade at Hux to keep him on the ground.

“What is it?” he prompted.

“You don’t have to just kill him,” she replied exasperatedly. “Who is he, what does he do? Do we need him for anything?”

Ben thought for a moment, which did make Rey wonder what was going on in that head of his. She’d ask later. Because they were partners now. She found the thought of that to be thrilling and freeing.

“He’s the general. So yes,” said Ben. “We do.”

Hux wheezed flatly, muttering to himself.

“Okay. Definitely don’t kill him.” At least until he could be replaced, which Rey sensed would be necessary, given how this interaction was playing out. She came up beside Ben and looked down at Hux. His eyes were very red, but not teary. “Sorry, but we’re your leaders now, and you need to accept that and tell everyone to do the same. Oh, actually.” She snapped her head up to Ben. “Are we going to _ make _ him do that?”

“We‘re doing that right now,” he replied in a tone of voice which told Rey he wasn’t properly following what she meant.

“No, with…” She held up her hands with her fingers splayed - and all at once felt a wave of embarrassment. “With...with the Force.”

There was a sudden softness to his features paired with him biting the inside of his mouth. “No, there’s no need. He’ll do it.” Ben turned his head downwards. Hux was more bafflement than man, but did have the sense to nod and confirm his cooperation.

Which was sporting of him, Rey thought. She couldn’t help but feel bad, not for him personally, more for the ruthlessness of the situation as a whole and how it surely wouldn’t end here. A rotten business, politics. But one had to crawl through the desert to reach water, and she wasn’t doing it alone.

Hux brought them up to date, so now they knew the Resistance cruiser was responsible for the state of the _ Supremacy _. It was much too soon to have a full assessment of the damage, but the functional hangars had been identified, and the bridge officers began evacuation proceedings as Hux made to come here. He was back on his feet and pretending very hard that he had power in this dynamic, all the while he was being more or less shepherded back to the turbolift. For now, all weapons were holstered.

“I’ll make contact with Captain Phasma,” Hux was saying with confidence - although at that moment she was falling to a crispy death. “The Stormtroopers must be organised and relocated. And as for the Resistance, there is nowhere left for them to go. This is their last stand.”

“Can we reach them?” asked Rey.

“I’ll have TIEs dispatched and their base scanned immediately.”

“She means contact them,” said Ben.

Hux made a face. “Absolutely not.”

He found that to be a more satisfying answer than Rey did. “Don’t send anything. Move to the _ Finalizer _ and wait.” Ben moved forward, which made Hux reflexively go backward, right into the lift. “I know you know better than attempt anything other than that.”

Hux wanted to talk back, that much was obvious. Instead, he dipped his chin in a small glare. The doors began to shut and it seemed that both men were content with taking separate rides, but Rey was concerned about how much longer they could reasonably stay up here, and her hand shot out to force the doors back. She jumped in and turned back to Ben. He really didn’t look comfortable with what she’d decided, but followed anyway. A recognition, perhaps, that he’d decided things that she hadn’t been comfortable with, and they needed to be even.

Quickly and quietly the three of them headed to the hangar that kept Ben’s command shuttle. Rey recognised it from a glimpse she’d gotten of it on Takodana, and she wasn’t exactly sure how to feel about it. She realised as she boarded that it wasn’t her first time doing so, it was just she hadn’t been conscious that first time. Ben wouldn’t quite look at her the entire way. Nor did he when they docked on what Rey supposed had to be the _ Finalizer _ , which was enormous but underwhelming considering the insanity that had been the _ Supremacy _.

In the hangar they were informed that Phasma was missing, presumed dead, and that the two Resistance fighters marked for execution may have escaped. Hux became furious upon hearing this news, though at which specific part was indeterminable. Even without knowing that Finn was one of the fighters being spoken of, Rey was pleased to hear the news and found amusement in watching Hux depart in distress. She kept it to herself.

She and Ben had some time alone between that point and what would come next - a meeting on the bridge with all the First Order leadership. Rey wanted most of all to use this time to just sit down, on the floor of the busy hangar if need be, but Ben kept her on her feet a little longer. He had quarters here on the _ Finalizer _. He told her with remarkable offhandedness that he was taking her there.

And Rey thought, _ oh fuck it’s happening. _

But no. He just wanted to clean himself up. He stood in the doorway to the refresher, drying his hair, and she just stood suddenly feeling lost and out of place. Her earlier resolve was melting away; she was remembering that she was a nothing scavenger with no right being here.

Her focus on the safety of the Resistance fleet kept her mind off it in the throne room, and Ben had looked at her in such a way that she felt truly _ seen _ \- but what he’d said there was inexcusably hurtful. And now he was standing across the room, barely registering her, and it made her wonder if he’d ever really looked at her longingly or she’d just wanted it to be so.

This was supposed to be a triumphant moment. She‘d saved her friends - all two of them - and the Resistance. She’d scored herself ultimate power in the wannabe Empire, which she would use to bring back some form of Republic. And she felt like shit.

“How could you,” Rey began, sobbing involuntarily as she did so, so she abandoned that line of thought and swerved down another. “I need to contact Chewie and tell him what’s going on.”

Ben flinched a little upon hearing the name. He had his back to her while he rustled through his belongings. “Okay,” he said guardedly. “That can be arranged.” He unfurled a long, dark cloak and fastened it around his broad shoulders. 

Rey shut her eyes and hoped that when she opened them again she would be on Ahch-To. It would be that morning she woke up and saw him there in her hut - except this time she wouldn’t. She heard him coming over and kept holding her eyes closed. _ Now _ when she opened them she would be back on Jakku in the evening, sitting on the warm sand, _ not _ about to hear the distressed sounds of a little droid—

It was with great care that Ben took off his gloves and raised both hands to Rey’s face. He set them on her jawline, his fingers at her neck and thumbs at the corners of her mouth. As soon as skin met skin Rey’s eyes snapped open in alarm. She instinctively made to step back, but stopped her leg on its way, and now she wobbled to regain her balance. He didn’t take much notice of any of that, just held her face and gazed at her.

“You...don’t want to be here,” said Ben.

“Of course I don’t,” Rey blustered, allowing tears to fall. “You were supposed to leave with me, not get me to stay.” She sniffled unattractively and tried to turn her head away. He wouldn’t let her, but she still refused to meet his eyes.

“Rey.” Obviously, she yielded immediately and looked. “I can’t leave. If I abandon my path, everything I’ve done up until now would be for nothing.” His hands drifted down to her shoulders, lingering only a moment before he withdrew. “I _ know _ you understand. You wasted your life waiting—“

“_ Yes _ ,” Rey snapped, lurching forward, forcing him back. “Yes I did. You’ve made that clear. And now I have to deal with it. But it’s not _ fair _ that you’re making me do that when you’re not doing it yourself! You have to deal with knowing you wasted your life too! You killed your father for _ nothing _.”

Anger flashed across Ben’s face as he reared back even further. His fists were clenched so tightly he’d surely have cut into his skin if his nails weren’t so blunt. He glared into the corner of the room, huffing, making an effort to keep it in. Rey didn’t say anything more. The silence was probably the best thing for that moment, though admittedly she wanted to roar wildly and draw her lightsaber. Not to kill him, or even hurt him. Just to trade blows and work it out in battle; it was just a shame it probably wouldn’t turn out well. They had to use their words.

To Ben’s dismay, he was aware of this. His voice trembled when he finally spoke. “So now what.”

“_ So now _,” Rey realised she was yelling and made a vague attempt at toning it down. “So now you’ll make up for it, because you want to. And I’ll help you, because I want to. I’m here for you and you for me, and both of us for the galaxy, and that’s it! That’s not hard to grasp, is it?”

He blinked at her. The hurt and anger from having Han’s death thrown in his face - unkind, but well-deserved - had drawn back. For all his notorious rage, he couldn’t find a way to keep it focused on her, nor did he particularly wish to do so. She inspired him to get stable, or pretend to be; and pretending something was so was usually the start of it becoming true.

Rey continued to be something Ben felt he understood completely yet couldn’t even begin to comprehend. He was awed by her and her unrelenting, aggressive, _ angry _ hope. He just kept seeing her for the first time, over and over, which was such an ordeal, such a pain. It had to _ stop, _and was bound to eventually. But he hoped it never would. “No. It’s not.”

Rey exhaled and rubbed her hands over her face. “I’m - I’m sorry for all the shouting. It’s not like you’re not listening to me.”

“You have every right to do it anyway. I’ve been shouted at before,” said Ben. He walked forward in slow, deliberate steps, stopping before her. His hand moved outwards, then he brought it back in. “Although not by someone who…” He paused, swallowed. “Cared. About me.”

Rey winced as if it would stop more tears from welling up, maybe even stop her from feeling in general. She wanted to loudly affirm his deduction, as pointless as that would be, and demand he state his intentions toward her clearly, which would actually be helpful. She wanted to _ really _ make sure he understood that calling her nothing had wounded her more than that deep cut on her arm. She wanted to apologise for the ways she had wounded him. But most of all she wanted to do nothing. Her soul had been bared long enough and it needed a break. She was completely sick of talking, and decided to do no more. There was an elbow-length gap between them, which Rey swiftly closed, and she let her head fall into his chest. 

Straight away she knew her positioning had been poor. She turned her head to free her nose, then fully committed and went a little limp. Ben breathed in and out, very deliberately yet somewhat shakily, then put his arms around her, and in response Rey snaked hers under the cloak and around him. Her hands couldn’t meet on his back, but it was okay. It was okay because - he was holding her. She was being held. By him. And he was strong and sturdy, and when he sighed into her hair her heart sighed out of her body.

She supposed he didn’t have to tell her anything with words.

It had been _ really _ different between them not that long ago, but honestly, she kinda wanted to forget that. Let the past die indeed. Rey felt like she was made to be in these arms. This is what belonging was. The belonging she sought—

Rey laughed. Ben shifted but didn’t let go.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she replied. Just that Maz had meant him instead of Luke.

* * *

The Resistance base was old but secure, and they were able to send out distress signals to all the allies they had left. While they waited for a response, the vulptices made for some decent animal company, the techs took to fixing up a dozen or so pathetic-looking ski-speeders, and everyone who was capable of fighting prepared to do so for their lives. They waited, and no one came. The closest First Order Star Destroyer was faint in the sky, barely in Crait’s orbit, as if they weren’t going to come down at all. And as for the Resistance allies, there hadn’t exactly been a blasters-blazing rescue worth telling about. There hadn’t been any rescue at all. Three standard hours after D’Acy reported that their signal had been received but that no one was answering, someone did finally call in; Maz Kanata, talking of an outpost on a planet called Batuu where she could meet and strategise with them. Her castle was wrecked, but she still knew of safe places to keep the Resistance. Perhaps she could even spare a ship or two, considering the Resistance’s severe lack of them.

So the spark remained, but it was dim and uncertain. Frankly, General Organa was baffled, having never expected the First Order to spare or toy with them, especially after that unrelenting chase across the galaxy. Something up there had changed, something drastic, but she was still recovering and couldn’t justify the effort it would take to reach out into the Force for information that may not even be there. 

And then Chewbacca gave up looking for a back entrance into the mine, and brought the _ Millenium Falcon _ in through the front. He had news.

The story was told a little out of order, beginning with a transmission recently received by the _ Falcon _, then doubling back to the events of the last several days. Leia took the information privately with her commanders and Poe - his former title all but officially reinstated - then called for some select officers to have it shared with as well. The defected Stormtrooper who had done so much to help the Resistance was among them; Leia didn’t need to know him well to have become fond of him, and she wouldn’t deny him the details of what was happening with his friend. His friend, the girl, Rey - who Leia had sent to find Luke, but instead seemed to have found someone else she’d begun to think was lost forever.

“_ Everything will be alright, I promise. _ ” R2-D2 had copied Rey’s message onto his systems and was playing it back for the second time. Her voice, recorded perfectly aboard the _ Finalizer _ , came out fuzzy on the _ Falcon _ , and even more so from the old droid. “ _ I believe it will. We have to stay sharp up here, keep everything under control. It’s all about to get very complicated and I don’t know what I’m doing. _ ” Her nervous laugh came out as static. “ _ We’ll make contact again soon. Please be safe. _”

R2-D2 stopped playing the message. There was a bit more, but it didn’t need repeating. He whistled and beeped, and BB-8 chirped something in response. The organics who were present didn’t say much to each other at first, all of them needing varying times to process what they’d learned. Leia even excused herself. The dismay of her brother rejecting the call to help them, so soon after losing Han, mixed with the hope of having her son return after all.

Finn, meanwhile, had shoved himself into a corner so he could most efficiently go through the seven stages of grief - or at least attempt to. He always snapped back to blind confusion when it seemed he might make a step forward. He just couldn’t get past his last memory of being with Rey. Unable to reconcile the version of her who declared Kylo Ren to be a monster - accurate, in Finn’s mind - with the one who claimed to have recovered a repentant Ben Solo. Finn wished he had never been separated from her. If he’d been with her on whatever wild journey she’d evidently experienced, maybe he could understand. Half of him, more than half, wanted so desperately to, because she was clever and capable and would have a good reason for what she was doing. The rest of Finn lacked all faith. Straight out the airlock. Ren was obviously playing a long con - he’d totally brainwashed her with the Force back on Starkiller Base, let her escape to lull everyone into a false sense of security, fully indoctrinated Rey at every moment she was alone, and now she was his minion. Her mind had been broken; she’d been tricked, gaslit.

He vented pretty much all of this to Rose. She’d grown annoyed.

“Not long ago you were singing Rey’s praises, and now you’re writing her off.”

“I’m not doing that,” Finn insisted. “It’s just there’s no way this is really happening. There’s no way she could have gotten the upper hand on the First Order.”

“This is seriously a total one-eighty to what you were saying like, twelve hours ago. You got me starting to believe in your friend without even meeting her! So how about _ you _ believe a little longer, huh?” Rose put her hands on her hips. “And anyway. The First Order doesn’t do trickery like this. I know that. So do you.”

Finn didn’t sleep that night. He got up and wandered about the mine, coming across Resistance members who toiled away at their own projects but not speaking to any of them. He stood outside on the salt, which seemed luminous against the black sky, and peered up with such intensity that his eyes started to hurt. What he was looking for, he didn’t know. Maybe it wasn’t anything physical he hoped to see, but more a sign. Something from the universe, or the Force - _ anything _ that could ease his mind, just a little. The sky didn’t have anything for him, so he went back inside.

Chewbacca was messing around the _ Falcon _, shooing away a couple of the crystal critters with one giant hand, in his other protecting a lump of something Finn couldn’t identify. He came closer, and began to understand it as a bird, but not a species he’d seen before.

“Hey,” Finn said, and Chewie greeted him back, much calmer than he had been when they last interacted. Recapping things for everyone had worked him up pretty bad.

Finn felt certain that Chewbacca was also upset by what was apparently happening - he had to have hated Kylo Ren the most out of everyone here, surely. As if Chewbacca had read his mind, he put the porg down and turned to Finn, roaring and gesturing matter-of-factly. He folded his arms when he was finished. Finn blinked at him.

“I’m sorry, I don’t…”

Chewbacca groaned and called at the top of his voice, and C-3PO appeared from around the corner. Finn cleared his throat and tried to steel himself for the oncoming infodump.

Chewie wanted Finn to understand that he hadn’t wanted to waste anything more on Kylo Ren than the bowcaster bolt it would take to strike him dead. But from what Rey had disclosed, Kylo heard her in ways Luke wouldn’t, and she believed so strongly he heard her back. And there _ had _ been a time where Kylo had been a boy that Chewie did care for, as much as he hoped to escape that fact by hiding in his anger. Chewbacca made the connection then, that Kylo was trying to do the same, and there was no use in either of them continuing. Rey simply had the resolve to force them both to stop.

And as for Rey, Chewie made sure to emphasise that she worried for Finn just the same as he did for her. She wondered about him the entire time they were away. She missed him and cared for him and loved him, and she would not have left if she hadn’t been certain she would be able to come back and see him again. Even if she made a mistake, even if things didn’t turn out well, she would still do so.

“Chewbacca concludes by requesting, pardon me, that you chill out, Master Finn.” C-3PO glanced between the two of them. “For your convenience, I have interpreted the Shyriiwook equivalent of the phrase into something you would be more familiar with.”

Finn wiped his tears on the ball of his palm. The upward turn had taken the limelight, acceptance standing in the wings, waiting. Ready. The next afternoon he was hugging Poe goodbye and wishing him luck on Batuu. It was him and a dozen others leaving on the _ Falcon _, piloted by Chewbacca naturally, with plans on returning with the means to get the remaining Resistance on their feet and off Crait. And then, Rey called.

* * *

The halves of the _ Supremacy _ drifted along their way, three designated Dreadnoughts travelling to and from it as their crews carried out their excavation duties. It was the scavenging mission of a lifetime. Rey feigned disinterest in the form of ignoring all mentions of it, preferring to leave it in the hands of literally anyone else, and this was because of some disparaging comments made when she first appeared on the bridge of the _ Finalizer _. It was reasonable that she’d take measures to avoid hearing any more, but it disappointed Ben that she wasn’t allowing herself to indulge in something that interested her. It wasn’t making her happy; and it gave the officers who didn’t approve of her less opportunity to speak up again, which he needed them to do so he could get rid of them. 

At least everyone foolish enough to outright pull their blasters on him and Rey had already done so and been taken out of the equation. Now they just had the underhanded officers to deal with, which unfortunately was absolutely all of them. But aside from that, things were proceeding well.

Assisted by Phasma’s most detailed files, Ben put a lot of thought into Rey’s Stormtrooper guard, yet still had reservations about leaving her with them. The pair had been in power for 28 full hours and he was spending his time on the opposite wall of the corridor to the Stormtroopers, glaring daggers at their helmets as they stood two to either side of the shut door. Ben had heard Rey talking with them earlier, which was fine, but he definitely wouldn’t follow suit.

Rey emerged wearing the dress she’d chosen for herself from the laundry, two more belts than needed wrapped around her waist. In the same vein, she’d elected to fold one of her wrappings and keep it tucked under her bare arm - dotted with freckles and nicked with small scars, the newest addition hidden underneath her sleeve. Ben didn’t think he gazed too long, but then Rey glanced down at herself, focusing on the lightsaber at her hip. She thought he was hung up about it still, but didn’t say anything - and Ben didn’t feel motivated to correct her that actually he was just looking at her because he liked doing so.

“Alright, well,” Rey said. “I’m ready and I’d like to go now.”

The _ Finalizer _ settled in Crait’s orbit as his command shuttle left for the planet’s surface. As they boarded Rey had grasped his hand in hers and kept holding it for the entire duration of the flight, and Ben hadn’t thought much on it, but he took notice of the trembling that started and grew worse the closer to landing they came. They disembarked, left the small crew where they were, and walked along the salt, uncovering the blood red ground as they went.

Up ahead, the doors to the Resistance base opened, and figures began to emerge. From this distance there was no detail to any of them, but Ben could pick out his mother anywhere, across entire solar systems if he had to; but he didn’t have to, because she was just over there. And soon enough they’d reach her. Rey had spoken to her not long ago over the shuttle com, and she’d specifically asked for him - and gasped softly when he said a vague hello. And now they were going to have to talk face to face. He stopped walking.

Rey didn’t say anything. She just stopped with him and leaned into his side, gently rubbed his arm with her free hand. In the short amount of time they had been partners like this, they took just about every opportunity they could to touch each other. Just small things, insignificant brushes that normal people wouldn’t take note of, but it meant so much to the both of them. It was theirs to have, theirs to use to help each other. Ben breathed slowly and methodically. The shaking in their clasped hands settled, then ceased.

“It won’t be easy,” Rey said honestly. He looked at her and blinked, now feeling how wet his eyes were. “But it’ll be okay.”

“I know,” said Ben.

She peered at him. “Do you, though?”

“No.”

Rey nodded, more to herself than him, and resumed her stride, pulling him along. He gladly followed behind her; willingly toward the light, fearfully into the future. All the specific feelings didn’t matter much, it was just important that he was doing it, and that he wanted to.

“Finn’s over there,” said Rey, excitement building in her. She yanked Ben. “You apologise to him straight away. And to BB-8 for hunting him, and his master. And to your mother, of course—”

“Yeah, I get it, apologise to everyone.” He huffed and held her back to slow the pace. Just one more minute alone. One more minute before he was ready to share her, let her be with her friend. “I’ll record a message for the galaxy when we get back.”

“You’re not funny,” muttered Rey, stopping and smoothing over her dress. She turned to him and fussed with his cloak. It didn’t need fussing with. More excuses to touch. “It’s not everyone,” she said quietly, maybe not even intending for him to hear. “Luke owes you one instead.”

The idea of ever seeing him again was a lot. It enraged and frightened Ben. This all quelled as soon as it came up as Rey’s hands lingered at his chest, the small movements in her fingers betraying a whirlwind of thoughts and feelings he could sense from her anyway. She raised her chin and lifted her eyes to his, appearing quite serene despite how her teeth were clenched behind her lips. Ben opened his mouth to speak, realised he had nothing to say, and ended up just sort of gaping at her. She stood on her toes and pecked his cheek, on the scar she gave him, and went back down. A couple seconds passed and she came up again, and he ducked his head to meet her but she hadn’t anticipated it and overshot and got his nose instead.

Rey grumbled exaggeratedly, kissed him quickly on the mouth, and broke off as unexpectedly as she’d come in and marched away. 

“I.” Ben kicked into gear after her, “Rey,” reaching not for any particular part of her, “Rey, wait,” just hoping to grab hold and get her to stop, “hold,” and stay, “on,” and do it again. “_ Please _.”

She paused for half a step, which was all Ben needed, and he latched on and whirled her back around, awkwardly jamming his face into hers and only getting the corner of her mouth for his trouble. Rey put her hand on his chest and pushed lightly. He released her immediately.

“_ You _ wait,” she ordered, turning. “Go see your mother!” she called over her shoulder, and started to run. A figure from the group of Resistance fighters broke off in a matching pace, and Rey and Finn met each other in a hug. Silent at first, but then they spun, let go of one another and began chattering. A girl from the Resistance was already jogging to join them.

Ben stared for a little while. When he glanced back to the group, Leia had made most of her way over, flanked by C-3PO and aided by a cane. That would have been from when she was blown out into space, something he’d almost been directly responsible for - and he was awash with guilt all over again for having failed to stop it happening anyway. He’d sensed her clearly then, and knew she felt him too. Leia had no reason not to believe he was the one who did it, especially with Han dead by his hand, and yet, here and now, she was smiling.

It was as if he’d been powered up after being shut down for a long time. He took long steps over to his mother, stopping short of running into her, and tried not to fall apart. But it was difficult. He was shaking again. It had been such a long time since he’d seen her, such a long time since he dared imagine she even wanted him as her son—

“Ben,” said Leia, and wrapped one arm around him as C-3PO rattled off some long, formal greeting he didn’t much care to hear. “There you are.”

**Author's Note:**

> i got too focused and hung up on the political logistics that it wasn't even fun to write that stuff, SO MUCH was cut of How We're Dealing With The Change In Power And What Our New Policies Are, but no one cares about that, just let them kiss!! trust me, it's fine!! free me from this pain
> 
> rey.. lov her  
https://electropath.tumblr.com/private/image/186923329798/tumblr_1oaK44BJrmrj8v7NF


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